Distracted
by CupcakeBean
Summary: Lately Booth had been finding it difficult to concentrate. Something was distracting him more and more often. Can you guess what it is? *NOW COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **These characters do not belong to me. I wish they did, but sadly they do not.

**A/N: **This started as a oneshot, but it developed into several chapters. I'm almost finished with the final chapter and I think you'll enjoy how it ends. Please R&R!

…

**Distracted**

Lately Booth had been finding it difficult to concentrate. Something was distracting him more and more often. No matter what he did, he couldn't focus. For what seemed like the hundredth time, he tried to force himself to finish his paperwork. A soft knock on his office door signaled the arrival of his partner.

"Hey," she greeted him quietly.

"You don't have to knock, Bones. You know you're always welcome."

"I know, but you looked like you were really focused. I didn't want to interrupt you."

He smiled at her unusual thoughtfulness. "What's up? Do you have something for me, or is this a social call?" _Yeah, like that would happen_, he thought to himself.

"We've found some interesting anomalies on the victim's remains, but I'd like to show you in person." She sat down across the desk from him. "I figured I would help you finish the paperwork from our last case before getting started on the next…"

He smiled again, fondly. "That would be great, Bones." Her answering smile made his heart skip a beat. _You've got it bad, Seeley…_ he thought, handing her a folder.

As Brennan dove headfirst into the paperwork, Booth couldn't help studying her. Her delicate features were extremely attractive… He watched her feminine hands, grasping a pen, flying swiftly over the page in front of her. His eyes traveled up her arms, noting the faint smattering of freckles that peppered her pale skin. She'd taken off her jacket, so his gaze continued up to her bare shoulders. Years of martial-arts training had given her arms and shoulders nice definition. She had well-muscled arms, though not too muscled…

"I need you to sign this one." Her voice shook him out of his reverie. She gave him a puzzled look, obviously noting his lack of progress on the paperwork.

"Oh, okay." He took the paper from her and met her quizzical gaze. "Sorry. I think I've just been cooped up in this office too long."

His explanation seemed to satisfy her. "Well, we're almost done…" She got back to work.

He admired her ability to focus on something so intently. Then again, his problem wasn't _lack_ of focus… He could focus, just not on work. Shaking himself, he looked down at the form she'd handed him. It was a standard, run-of-the-mill document with two lines at the bottom to be signed. One was for himself, the Special Agent in Charge of the investigation, and the other space was for "Expert Scientific Witness." He studied her familiar signature. _Dr. Temperance Brennan_. It was smooth, graceful, and professional. Just like the woman. He added his own John Hancock, musing about the way it looked next to hers. Glancing up, he met her suspicious stare.

"Booth, I came by to _help_ you with the paperwork, not do it myself!" He found her adorable when she scolded him.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. He flashed her his best charm smile, hoping to appease her. She rolled her eyes in return and tried to look annoyed, but he caught her smiling to herself.

Grinning, Booth tried to concentrate on his share of the work. Brennan, ever the workaholic, had finished her pile first and began grabbing papers from his stack. As she reached for another form, Booth "accidentally" set his arm on top of the papers so she couldn't pull any out.

"Booth!" she exclaimed, playfully slapping at his arm. He laughed, observing the amused gleam in her eyes. Snatching a handful of papers, she went back to efficiently filling them out.

Enjoying their little game, Booth nabbed the pen out of her hand. She glared at him in mock exasperation. "You are such a child!" He stuck his tongue out at her and to his delight, she burst out laughing. Brennan didn't laugh often, so it was always an unexpected pleasure. It was a throaty, unselfconscious sound and Booth loved to be the one to evoke it.


	2. Chapter 2

Eventually they managed to complete their work, no thanks to Booth. Back at the Jeffersonian, they were greeted with a barrage of interruptions. Brennan was asked to approve decisions, sign off on things, and advise her subordinates. Booth always felt a strange sense of pride watching her in "her world." She was obviously in her element, a natural leader used to having her orders obeyed without question.

They entered her office and Brennan traded her jacket for her blue Jeffersonian lab coat. Booth plopped down on her couch and put his feet on the coffee table. Angela strolled in carrying a sketchpad, grinning at her best friend.

"Hey Sweetie. I have the reconstruction of our victim's skull." Noticing Booth, her smile widened and she greeted him enthusiastically, "Hey Stud."

"Hi Angela." Even though her less-than-subtle hints about the nature of his relationship with Brennan were aggravating, Booth genuinely liked Angela. She was the total opposite of his partner, a flakey free-spirited artist who would rather experience the world than define it. She was constantly trying to drag Brennan out of the lab and show her how to have fun, despite Brennan's resistance. She was a loyal friend and a good influence on the stuffy scientist.

As the two women studied the sketch, Booth took the opportunity to observe his partner some more. She had pulled her long, wavy hair back into a loose bun. While he liked her hair down, wearing it up allowed him to examine her features, unobstructed. His eyes traveled up her long neck, to her ear lobes, jaw line… lips…

"Agent Booth?" Sweets's voice startled him out of his daydream. The young psychologist wore an analytical expression. "Um, I wanted to discuss the suspect profile you asked for…"

"Yeah, sure Sweets." Eager to impress, the psychologist leaned forward to show Booth a file, casually placing his foot on the coffee table. Booth shot him an authoritative look and Sweets promptly removed his foot.

"The guy we're looking for has issues with his mother…" As Sweets began giving a detailed description of their murder suspect, Booth's mind began to wander again. He'd never noticed how Brennan's lab coat brought out the color in her eyes… and the way it fit her was actually quite flattering. It accentuated her figure very nicely…

"Agent Booth? Are you even listening to me?"

"Hmmm? Sorry. I can't seem to concentrate today." His eyes unconsciously returned to Brennan.

The gesture was not lost on Sweets. "Have you had this problem a lot lately, Agent Booth?"

"Yes, actually," Booth answered without taking his eyes off his partner.

"Do you think that, perhaps, Dr. Brennan has something to do with your lack of focus?" Sweets asked, suggestively. This earned him a hard stare from Booth. Before he could respond, Brennan interrupted.

"Are you ready to look at the remains, Booth?" Glad for an excuse to escape Sweets's interrogation, Booth leapt to his feet and followed her out of the office.


	3. Chapter 3

Booth joined Brennan and the rest of the Squints around the remains of their murder victim. Hodgins, Cam, and Angela filled them in on their findings, but as usual, much of it went over Booth's head. Brennan began working over the body, vocalizing her observations as she examined the victim.

Coming around the exam table, Brennan came to stand next to her partner. "The victim was Caucasian, male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall. Eighteen to 25 years old. Here…" Reaching around Booth to point at the remains, her body lightly brushed along his arm, which was resting on the table. Booth felt a jolt of electricity pass between them. To his surprise, she seemed to feel it to. Her eyes met his, a look of confusion evident on her face. "He-here, evidence of remodeling… He had a broken clavicle that had been set professionally and healed. That will help us make a positive ID." Shooting Booth another uncertain look, she walked around to the opposite side of the table.

"Cause of death?" Cam asked.

"Based on these striations…" Brennan leaned over the table and her lab coat shifted, revealing an inch of skin peeking out from above her waistband. Booth's eyes were riveted to the spot. "I'd say he was stabbed to death, around 6 to 8 times."

Across the table from Booth, Hodgins noticed the agent was being unusually quiet. Following his line of sight, a smile slowly spread across the scientist's face. Nudging Angela with his elbow, he pointed to Booth with his chin. Angela was barely able to suppress her giggles, receiving a stern look from Brennan.

"There's an odd marking here…" Brennan leaned forward to point at the victim's wrist and Booth was rewarded with a hint of cleavage from beneath her low-cut lab coat. "Did the forensics team find a watch or perhaps a bracelet in the victim's possessions?" She looked at her partner expectantly.

"Hmmm?" Booth responded dreamily. "What…?" With a jolt, he snapped fully back to reality. "_What?_" He shook his head in an attempt to refocus on what she'd asked him.

Hodgins chuckled, Cam smirked, and Angela let out a delighted squeal. Brennan looked around at her friends, oblivious to the cause of their amusement. Annoyed, she focused on Booth accusingly. He must have made some kind of joke at her expense, ridiculing her in an underhanded way that she didn't understand. Irate, she glared at him.

"When you decide to take this case seriously, you'll know where to find me." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed off toward her office. Booth gaped at her retreating form, his brain swiftly trying to work out why she was now furious at him.

"Bones! Hey, wait a minute!" He futilely called after her. As he began to run after her, Sweets, who had been observing unnoticed from the sidelines, grabbed his arm.

"Unless you acknowledge your problem and actually deal with it, it isn't going to stop." Booth gave him a warning look and Sweets let go of his arm.


	4. Chapter 4

Booth found Brennan, still fuming, at her computer. As he entered her office, the scientist began typing furiously, pretending she didn't know he was there. Despite the situation, Booth smiled to himself. He knew she wasn't ignorant of his presence. They were always very _aware_ of each other, no matter what was happening around them.

"Hey Bones, I wasn't making fun of you. I would never make fun of you," he told her seriously. She looked at him skeptically. "Okay, well I _would_ make fun of you, but not to hurt your feelings. I would never hurt you on purpose."

Studying him like one of her skeletons, she finally conceded. "No, I suppose you wouldn't," she replied quietly. Booth found himself grinning like an idiot, relieved she had forgiven him. His relief, however, was fleeting. "Then why weren't you listening to me? You're usually so attentive…"

"The problem is I was being _too_ attentive," he muttered. Seeing her questioning look, he sighed. "Look Bones, I have to confess something and I'm not sure how you're going to respond. I don't want to scare you or drive you away…"

"What is it, Booth?" Not a woman to beat around the bush, Brennan preferred the direct approach.

Booth suddenly found the room suffocating and his mouth was bone dry. He couldn't meet her curious gaze and he couldn't seem to form coherent thoughts. Clearing his throat, he began cautiously.

"Um, well, here's the thing… Lately I've been finding myself very preoccupied… I can't seem to keep my head in the game. You know?" She didn't know. She had no idea what he was talking about and it showed plainly on her face. He tried again. "You've been distracting me… I can't concentrate on work because I keep focusing on you." The admission actually made him feel better.

It did not, however, make her feel better. She was offended. "Well, I'm sorry Booth! I didn't mean to distract you. I thought you wanted my help with the paperwork…" She had jumped to her feet and was pacing. "And you usually want to know all my findings and…"

"No! That's not what I meant Bones!" He stepped in front of her, grabbing her shoulders to stop her pacing. As her blue eyes met his brown ones, he took a step back. "It's not your fault… Well, it _is_, but not in the way you think…"

"I don't know what that means."

Booth was getting progressively flustered. "I… You… Uh…" He couldn't hold it in any longer. "I'm in love with you!" As he blurted the words out, the full weight of his emotions overtook him for the first time. He'd been stifling these feelings for so long that he hadn't realized the depth of his love for her.

Brennan looked liked she'd been slapped. She was completely unprepared for the impact of his words. Acting on an uncharacteristic impulse, she bridged the gap between them. For once in her life, her brain took a backseat and her body moved of its own accord. She leaned forward, gently brushing her lips against his, experimenting.

Booth was so stunned that he didn't react. It felt like an eternity before it registered that she was actually kissing him. As her lips gently tugged on his, something finally clicked in his brain. His arms, which had been hanging limply at his sides, suddenly sprang to life. He grabbed her face gently between his hands, pulling her closer. His lips hungrily devoured hers and to his shock, she reciprocated. Booth felt her hands come to rest on his chest and his fingers tangled in her hair.

Never a passive woman, it was Brennan that eventually deepened the kiss. The intensity of both their responses was dizzying. The world around them ceased to be. All that mattered was the way their bodies responded to each other.

Booth felt his control slipping. He knew if he didn't break off the kiss, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from making love to her right there in her office. Reluctantly he pulled away, elated when he realized she seemed disappointed. Still holding her close, he searched her face for any sign of regret or panic. Usually able to read her like a book, he couldn't judge her reaction. She was studying him with a mix of surprise and curiosity, as if she wanted to examine him under a microscope. He couldn't seem to breathe and his heart was pounding from the suspense. Ever so slowly, a faint smile began forming on her lips. He breathed a sigh of relief and her smile grew wider. Giddy, Booth beamed back at her.

"Hi," he murmured.

"Hi," she replied shyly.

Booth knew things had just changed between them permanently. The knowledge was both frightening and exhilarating. He knew the road ahead was probably going to be bumpy as they worked out this new development in their relationship. As he looked into her smiling blue eyes, though, he knew it would be worth it.

...

_I hope you've enjoyed my first attempt at a multi-chaptered fic. Thanks to everyone for all the reviews! I appreciate you taking the time to R&R. :)_


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